Ah yes, there's nothing like a lazy Sunday to get recharged for the rat race. But the weather's too balmy to just park on the couch with some goopy chili-cheese fries and football on the TV.

This is prime time for a Sunday drive, to fire up the car and head down River Road and through the Delta. A little wine tasting will sweeten this deal.

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta produces about 600,000 tons of wine grapes annually, and the pastoral vibe of the rolling Sacramento River and surrounding farmland can be reached in about 15 minutes from downtown Sacramento. We're very much cool with this commute.

There's one slight buzz kill: Few Delta wineries are open to the public. Oenophiles are limited to Bogle Vineyards and the half-dozen wineries that operate out of the Old Sugar Mill in Clarksburg, all west of the Sacramento River.

But don't sleep on Scribner Bend Vineyards. The winery is tucked off River Road, about four miles south of Freeport on the east side of the river, and is renowned for its fiano and tempranillo.

So we pull up to Scribner Bend Vineyards in the mid-afternoon and learn quickly that this spot is popular for something else: weddings. White tents and tables are ready for the reception, and a PA system is being set up for a ceremony to be held in a garden that's framed by chardonnay vineyards.

But hey, no need to be a wedding crasher. Free wine is for the tasting in an adjacent farmhouse – well, make that a really fancy farmhouse with wine- related gifts and a Tuscan-style venue in the back.

The tasting room is bustling on this day, a mix of wedding guests and regular wine-loving folks. The wines are poured in stubby stemware, but it's a good-enough fill for sipping and gauging whether you like what's in the glass.

The 2007 Viognier ($15.95) smelled like Juicy Fruit gum and tasted of citrus and sweet melon. Scribner Bend Vineyards has scored gold medals for its tempranillo, and its 2005 vintage ($14.95) boasted a dark cherry flavor and hints of smokiness. The 2007 "Novantina" Fiano ($9.95) was also an easy drinker with a bright lime taste. Note that fiano is an Italian varietal not grown much around these parts, and that Darrell Corti of Corti Brothers acted as a consultant in making this wine.

Good thing we got to Scribner Bend Vineyards in time, because the tasting room was closing early for the wedding. And hey, there's co-owner Lorraine Scribner walking the grounds and making sure the wedding preparations are running smoothly.

She also says it's not uncommon for her and husband Mark to wander into the tasting room and offer impromptu tours.

"Patty Bogle (the matriarch of Bogle Vineyards) is a good friend and encouraged us to open our own tasting room," says Lorraine Scribner. "She was very helpful and felt like Delta wines are so good and people can come here without having to travel far away."

With more wedding guests arriving, it was time to head back to Sacramento. But who needs Interstate 5 to get back into town when you can take the scenic South River Road on a leisurely Sunday? So that's what we did, winding around the Sacramento River and planning to grab a burger at Whitey's Jolly Kone in West Sacramento.

Drats, it was closed. But on this Sunday, there's no need to stress. We'll save that for the work week.

SCRIBNER BEND VINEYARDS

Call Bee food and wine writer Chris Macias, (916) 321-1253.